It's a New Phenomenon
by Lady Knight Katie of Masbolle
Summary: Neal and Dom have a chat, man to man.


"What's that on your shirt? Is that.. is that blood?"

I freeze mid stride when I recognize the voice that's speaking to me. I look over and catch the concerned eyes of my cousin. He walks towards me and reaches out to inspect my tunic.

I know what this looks like and there's no way I can let this story get back to Kel. She'd kill me. Okay not really kill me, just haul me out to the practice courts for a few hours. She might as well kill me though, it'll hurt about the same anyways.

"Nealan?" His voice snaps me out of my imagination.

"No?"

Dom scoffs at my lackluster response. "That's not a question you're supposed to answer with a question."

I roll my eyes. Like I didn't realize that as I said it.

"Alright, better question. Why is there blood on your shirt? Is it yours?"

I peek at him from the corner of my eye. He's watching me intently. His facial expression as serious and solemn as I've ever seen it. I can't help but think that I don't like that look on him. His wide mouth should be smiling, not pursing in concern. I want to tell him. Of all the people I feel confident in confiding in, Dom is the one that would be most likely to understand my reasoning for my actions. He and his squad have done the same on a few occasions.

I open my mouth to respond. I'm not sure if what's about to fall from my lips is the truth or some half arsed sarcastic comment when someone shoves their shoulder against mine. I stumble to the side, perilously close to tumbling arse over teakettle when I feel Dom grip my upper arm tightly to keep me on my feet. My snaps at the man who collided with me. If looks could kill..

I bite my tongue to keep my expression neutral, unaffected. It's a habit I picked up from Kel. She's right when she claims that it unnerves people.

No words are exchanged and the man disappears around a corner, drops of blood splashing on the flagstone floor behind him.

Dom is watching me again. The tension in the air is palpable. I release a shuddering breath.

"Who was that?" Dom demands.

"An idiot," I reply. I flex my fingers, they had unconsciously curled themselves into fists.

"Mmm," Dom hums, he's clearly not amused with my reply. "Why is he bleeding?"

"Because he's an idiot." Woohoo, four words, the longest response I've given since this conversation started.

Now it's Dom's turn to roll his eyes. "I didn't know that idiocy caused people to just start spontaneously bleeding from the nose."

"I think it's a new phenomenon," I reply curtly. I stare at my feet as I feel a flush of embarrassment creep up my neck at being caught. Dom is silently observing me as I avoid looking at him.

I like to tease Dom for being more brute than brain, but the truth of the matter is that he really is a smart man. I know he's smart enough to start putting these puzzle pieces together. I just hope that he'll keep this to himself.

The next thing I knew, Dom was hauling me into a dark closet, using the grip he still had on my upper arm. Once the door is closed, I can barely see his silhouette; the only light permeating the darkness coming from a small opening at the bottom of the door. He finally lets go of me and I stagger back into the stone wall.

"Let me tell you what I think is going on and you can tell me if I'm right, which I'm pretty sure I am." His voice is low and quiet, barely a whisper. Dangerous. I nod my head and swallow nervously, forgetting that he likely can't see my reaction in the dark. "I think I do know just who that man was. Sir Quinden of Marti's Hill, a realm renowned conservative, yes?" At Neal's nod, the man continued. "I also think that you happened to be somewhere in the immediate vicinity when his nose started to spontaneously bleed, yes?" Neal gave another hesitant nod. "So now the question is, what exactly happened for his nose to just start bleeding? Care to explain, Neal?" I could see Dom's figure shift and his arms cross over his chest.

I swallow again, my hand unconsciously starts to sweep through my hair. I don't particularly want to admit to Dom why I was brawling like a page, but I knew if I wanted to have any chance of his silence, I would have to explain myself. I let out another shuddering breath. "Do you remember our trek into Scanra with Kel?"

"Obviously." Was his sarcastic reply.

"Well, when Kel was just starting on her way, Marti's Hill passed by her with a patrol. There were no scouts. She told me that she was close enough that if she were the enemy, they would've been killed."

The silence between us was strained. Dom took his position of command seriously, took the safety of his men seriously, and had no patience when other commanders didn't.

"When Kel was giving her report to Lord Wyldon, she decided to include Marti's Hill's patrol. She debated with herself forever over it, asked my advice and everything. In the end she decided that those men deserve better. Lord Wyldon had no choice but to put him on scut work for the rest of the war. Now Marti's Hill won't stop running his mouth about Kel and has been making up vicious rumors for the better part of six months now. Kel refuses to pay him any mind. Says she knows that they aren't true, that the people important to her know they aren't true, and that's all that matters. I disagree."

I wait for him to say something, anything. I'm waiting for the 'Kel's a strong woman and can defend herself' speech that I remember hearing pass from Kel's lips years before. Instead the silence stretches on.

I decide to explain my actions, anything to break the uncomfortable atmosphere around us. "I know Kel's able to defend herself. She's a bloody fantastic knight. I just think that, as her best friend, I have an obligation to defend her from people spewing vitriol behind her back."

To my amazement, Dom just shrugs. "As long as you know that she can defend herself in the face of an attack, that's fine. I agree, it's our duty to defend her back just like we would for each other. My squad and I are just as guilty as I'm sure you and your friends are. I'm glad she has you for a best friend, cousin."

My heart pounds painfully against my ribs. There's no way it was that easy.. "Could," I have to take a moment to clear my throat, my voice deciding to crack mid word," could you perhaps not tell Kel about this?"

Dom shifts to reach out and open the closet door. Light floods into our hidey hole and I blink spots out of my vision. "It's just, she'll be so angry-"

"Tell her about what?" Dom asks. "Why would she be angry with you?"

My eyebrows flit up to my hair line and my mouth falls open in shock. He couldn't mean.. I blink my eyes hard a couple of times. Did.. did he just wink at me? When next I opened my eyes, Dom was gone.


End file.
